1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window molding which is applied to a periphery of a window of an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Window glasses for rear and front windows of an automobile are often secured to a vehicle body in a so-called direct glazing in which the window glasses are directly adhered to edges of window openings of the vehicle body by an adhesive. FIG. 4 shows a known window glass 20 which is adhered by an adhesive 30 to a flange 11 of a panel 10 which is bent inwardly, in the direct glazing method. As can be seen in FIG. 4, there is a slight gap between the body panel 10 and the peripheral edge of the glass 20. A plastic molding is provided to cover the gap.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show two known shapes of moldings, i.e. generally J-shaped molding 40A and generally T-shaped molding 40. Note that FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of a molding according to the present invention, although the shape thereof per se is well known. Namely, the subject of the invention is not directed to the shape of the molding. The moldings 40 (FIG. 4) and 40A (FIG. 3) have outer decorative portions 41 and 41A which bridge the glass 20 and the body panel 10 to come into engagement therewith, and leg portions 42 and 42A which are inserted into the gap. Usually, the outer decorative portion 41 and 41A have arcuate end edges 43 and 43A adjacent to the vehicle body, so that the arcuate end edges 43 and 43A can be elastically attached onto the vehicle body. The leg portions 42 and 42A are provided, on their one side or opposite sides, with abutments or fins 44 and 44A to keep the postures of the moldings 40 and 40A. The moldings 40 and 40A are made of nonrigid plastics, such as nonrigid polyvinyl chloride or the like to have a flexibility or an elasticity as a whole due to the presence of the arcuate end edges 43 and 43A and the abutments 44 and 44A.
When an automobile travels on a road, the automobile continuously vibrates due to an uneven surface of the road, so that the vehicle body continuously and repeatedly produces a slight strain. On other hand, since the glass and the molding are adhered to the vehicle body by the adhesive, the occurrence of the strain of the glass and the molding is not synchronous with that of the vehicle body. Namely there is a difference in occurrence of the strain between the vehicle body and the molding and between the molding and the glass. The difference is continuously caused during the travel of the automobile. This results in an occurrence of a friction noise which causes a driver or a passenger to feel uncomfortable
The inventor of the present invention has found that a decrease of the frictional resistance between the vehicle body and the molding(s) etc. decreases the friction noise.
The primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide a window molding which can decrease the friction noise.